Gone but not forgiven
by pearls994ever
Summary: The wizarding world attends the funeral of a war martyr but who is giving the eulogy?


Written as a treat to **thebloodinside** , for **dmhghalloween** 2009 exchange  
Prompt: the epitaph "Gone, but not Forgiven"  
Rating: PG  
Word Count: 1083  
Warnings: Not exactly compliant with DH, character death.  
A/N: This idea has been floating in my head for a while now, and I'm finally getting it down in words! Thanks a bunch to my courageous beta, who in his own words, said, "You really have to work on your tenses." I know my lousy grammar can get on people's nerves, so he really is my ultimate hero. Any additional errors are strictly my own.

A/N #2: Oops, forgot to add a disclaimer! I don't think anyone would sue me for this little thing, but you can never be too careful, right?

Disclaimer: If I can have a nickel for every time I wish I own these characters (or Tom Felton) then I would be pretty rich and not writing fanfiction. Alas, I do not own them, they belong to J.K. Rowling.

_Gone but not Forgiven_

The guests filed slowly into the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was the sort of grand event where the head table is occupied and overlooking the attendees, though very few of the people sitting at the head table were teachers. In fact, the most curious observation occurred to the attendees. Sitting at the very middle of the head table, right in front of the podium, was none other than Dark Lord supporter Draco Malfoy. Many did not understand why he would be at this event, and holding such an esteemed position no less!

Sitting solemnly to Draco's right, with stoic expressions, were, in this specific order: Harry Potter, war hero; Ronald Weasley, war hero; Ginervra Weasley, war heroine; and Neville Longbottom, also war hero. Those sitting to Draco's left, with a tired and equally pained expression, were in this specific order: Minvera Mcgonagall, Hogwarts Headmistress/war heroine; Rubeus Hagrid, Hogwarts gamekeeper and war hero; Arthur Weasley, war hero; Molly Weasley, war heroine. As anyone would realize, there seemed to be a link between all except for Draco Malfoy, who for all intents and purposes was not a war hero.

Draco Malfoy, afterall, was the son of notorious Death Eater Lucius Malfoy, and rumored to be one himself. In fact, it was said that it was Draco who delivered the deadly spell towards Harry Potter, but was eventually blocked by none other than Hermione Granger, who, as the world knew, lay in the open casket in the middle of the Great Hall.

Her expression appeared peaceful, as if she was in a dreamy sleep. But all knew that one who dies from Avada Kedavra is never at peace, the spell always hitting the victim in a moment of surprise, the pained and horrified expression forever frozen in time.

Draco's own expression was quite complicated. Not a single person in the magnificent Great Hall could read it. It was too conflicted: anger, regret, humiliation, depression, only a few of the expressions that flickered across his ghostly pale face. But they could never read the one emotion overwhelming his entire wretched being at this very moment. The emotion that would never dull, not even with time.

The latecomers settled into their seats and silence filled the room as Draco walked up to the podium, a haunted specter of misfortune. He appeared to be delivering the eulogy for Hermione Granger, war heroine and martyr.

"I remember the very moment when I fell in love with Hermione Granger," he began. Harry Potter, sitting at the head table, bowed his head. Muffled gasps and murmurs were heard throughout the Hall.

"It was our sixth year, she had just informed me that she had forgiven me. I laughed at her then, but she knew I was grateful. It was then she started her personal mission to turn me into a spy for the Order of the Phoenix." Most shook their heads in disbelief.

Draco continued:

"That's how Hermione Granger was while she lived, and that's how we will remember her. Steadfast and stubborn, she treated the situation as if it was a Potions essay, paying close attention to every fact, not letting one single detail get in the way." Minervra Mcgonagall, remembering her prized student nostalgically, gave a teary smile.

"I was always taught that muggle-borns were less than purebloods. Their magic and intellect supposedly never reaching the same level of someone "pure" like me. But time and time again, Hermione has proven these discriminating beliefs wrong. I tried to compete with her, but I always fell short, especially when it came to loyalty."

"She knew who her friends were, and what they meant to her. Once she had given you the gift of her friendship, she never took it back. She would do anything to protect you, to teach you right from wrong, to love you. Most of all, she never gave up on you. I was always jealous of this trait, this selfless loyalty. I wanted to be able to feel it myself, and I finally did when she risked her life to save me the first time."

"She always had faith in me, even though all her best friends disagreed." Ron Weasley's jaw tightened.

"Hermione Granger was not only loyal to those she loved, she also put her heart into everything she did. She was passionate and driven. Once she set her goal, there was nothing in the world that could stop her from achieving it. Her plan to defeat the Dark Lord was no different. Every step, every piece of the puzzle was meticulously planned."

"She always had everything in her control, but something occurred that was out of her of control. She fell in love with her little homework assignment, and it was the death of her." Draco slammed his fist on the podium. He bowed his head, white blond hair falling to block his face from view. He paused, if only to collect himself.

"I never understood why she did it, and I probably never will. But the spell that was meant for me, the traitor, the extremist, the sinner, she took in my stead. Her sacrificing nature, I remember, was always the most annoying trait of hers! She had to do it, she couldn't just let a sorry man die for his sins, pay his debts to society! Instead, she had to leave him to live on in a world without her, to live with this damned guilt, to live with the memory of the perfect person she was, and to live in the knowledge of just how flawed we all are compared to her. She was so-" Draco choked back his tears while his voice cracked, "so cruel!"

Later, after Hermione Granger was finally laid to rest, those who loved her most laid roses on her grave. And the one she loved most carved these words on her tombstone:

_Gone, but not forgiven._


End file.
